When the sun was above their heads at noon for a short time, it poured its rays down pitilessly upon them, and heated the chasm almost to suffocation point. Then loathsome insects and reptiles crept from the crevices and frolicked in the furnace-like glow. But at night, when the dew fell, it was piercingly cold and damp, even under their skin wraps and tent. Only once had they been able to find wood enough to raise a fire since leaving the fountain. Then the effect on the bulging and smooth cliffs had been like some of the Inferno conceptions of Gustave Dore. "Two more days, lads," said Ned to his dutiful and unquestioning followers. "If we see no way out of this lane by that time, I shall turn back." They were, however, lured on by the windings and the perceptible drawing-in of the gorge. At the rate it was narrowing it must terminate either in a cul-de-sac or an opening soon. At last their hopes were realised, and they had palpable evidence that they must have reached the other slope of the range. The ridges were getting lower, or rather they were rising to their level. Daylight became stronger, while the chasm became once more a valley, and fresher air poured in upon them. About midday they were hemmed in by only about fifty feet high of walls that dipped until they became level with the ground. In front of them spread an almost flat ledge, and on it what looked to be the ruins of a citadel. CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. IN THE DESERTED CITADEL. The crumbling walls and earthquake-rent towers which stood between them and the deeply blue sky attracted all eyes upwards. Then an exclamation from Clarence, who had stumbled over something and fallen on his face, drew their looks once more down to the ground, and all stood still for some moments, transfixed with consternation. Between them and the buildings lay heaped a perfect Golgotha of human bones. It was like the valley in the vision of Ezekiel. The ground took a slight dip at this juncture, then rose abruptly up for about seventy or eighty feet like an acutely slanting roof. Upon the crest of this slope were built the outer walls and watch-towers of these ancient ruins. In this moat, or depression, were heaped and scattered mounds of grinning skulls, gaping ribs, detached arm and leg bones, shoulder-blades, and the smaller phalanges, which proved at the first glance that these dry frames were human remains. They were lying singly at places, in other parts heaped confusedly together in piles, just as they must have fallen. From the space they occupied there must have been thousands left here to rot, or to be devoured by birds, beasts, and insects.